The Black Skimmer

The Black Skimmer, (Rynchops niger), also known as the Scissorbill, or Razorbill, is a tern-like seabird, one of three very similar birds species in the skimmer family. The Black Skimmer is 40-50 cm long with a 107-127 cm wingspan. The males weigh about 325 g, as compared to the smaller female?s 235 g. The basal half of the bill is red, the rest mainly black, and the lower mandible is much-elongated. The eye has a dark brown iris and catlike vertical pupil, unique for a bird. The legs are red. The call is a barking kak-kak-kak. Skimmers have a light graceful flight, with steady beats of their long wings. They feed usually in large flocks, flying low over the water surface with the lower mandible skimming the water (in order of importance) for small fish, insects, crustaceans and molluscs[1] caught by touch by day or especially at night. They spend much time loafing gregariously on sandbars in the rivers, coasts and lagoons they frequent.
There were 30 or 40 in this group, and they were all facing the same way, in rows like toy soldiers.